Country Music Marathon '09

I have wanted to do a marathon for a while now.  It's something I talk about forever, but kept making up excuses why I couldn't do it.  Well this was my year finally.  I decided that since I was turning 30 this year it would be a good year to do it.  I have been training since January for the Country Music Half Marathon.  Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I have been running with a group of friends.  I have never been a runner so starting out was hard, but after I did it for a while it became easier and I loved it.  Today I got to put all my training into play and I finished at 2 hrs and 19 minutes.  And I didn't walk at all (there were times I was dragging my feet, but they were jogging).   I didn't really care about my time, my goal was to not walk and I'm so glad I kept on going.  This was just the most amazing experience ever.  The Country Music Marathon is here in Nashville of course and they have bands set up all through out the course (mostly country music), but there was the one band playing outside of a church and they were singing "Our God is Mighty to Save" and it was just awesome hearing Christian music.  It gave me chills and tears were in my eyes because I just kept thinking without Him I wouldn't be doing this.  God was definitely there through it all and without Him I wouldn't have "Pressed towards the Goal".  So here are just a few pics from the day.  Jonathan and Aiden came out to support but I never saw them until the end.  There were 35,000 RUNNERS!  And I can't even imagine how many spectators......let me just say a TON!  There were people lined on the streets for most of the 13 miles.  It was awesome just hearing people cheer you on the whole way.  

My biggest supports.....Jonathan and Aiden

Aiden, Me, Lyndsay, Jeannie, and Jordan.  Some of my running group.  

The girls at the Pasta party the night before: Lyndsay, Jeannie, Jordan and Me.

My metal!  I told Jonathan I want to wear it all week where ever I go!  

***Update....my friend Brent was there watching the race and got a picture of me.  He sent this picture after I had done this post, so of course I had to add it.  Here I am smiling as I ran by him.  I think this was around mile 7 or 8 so that's why I'm still smiling.  Glad he didn't take my picture around mile 12 because no telling what I would have looked like!  

Happy Easter!!!

We hope everyone had a Blessed Easter.  We had a very low key one, but it still nice.  We went to church and then out to eat with some friends.   Here is Aiden ready for church.  Of course he couldn't let go of his soccer ball. 

This was Easter last year.  Wow, he has changed so much!  

Still won't let go of his soccer ball.

Poor Aiden has a scratch under his eye because his momma didn't clip his nails.  

The family Easter 09.  I don't love this picture but it was the only we got that day.  If you can't tell the sun was definitely in our eyes.  I think Aiden and I look more a like in this picture than we ever have.  Maybe it's because we're both squinting.  But we were thankful for the sun that day!  

"For by grace we are saved through faith....it is the gift of God."  Eph. 2:8

We're back.......

 Hello blog world!  Sorry we've been abandoning you lately.  I have NOT been good at taking pictures of all that we have been doing.  It has been a busy last few weeks.  Last Friday (the 3rd) Jonathan and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary!  It has gone by so fast.  We had a great time, we went out to Ruth's Chris and actually got to enjoy a nice dinner alone.  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have such a wonderful husband.  He not only is a wonderful husband but an awesome daddy!  Aiden and I are so blessed to have him in our lives.  

Lately all Aiden wants to do is go outside to play.  He thinks whenever we are leaving that we MUST be going to play.  It gets really challenging when he figures out that we are just going to run errands and not doing what he wants.  This is what usually happens when I tell him we're about to leave.  He grabs as many balls as he can he goes for the garage door.....

Aiden just got his first pair of boat shoes.  I love them.  

Today we took Aiden to his first Easter Egg Hunt.  The zoo was putting one on and I think all of middle Tennessee were there.  It was CRAZY!  But I think Aiden had a good time.  This is me telling Aiden where to put the eggs.  (We practiced at home yesterday so he'd know what he was doing.  And so he'd have a head start on all the other kids!!  Just kidding)  

Of course he had to investigate all the eggs before putting them in his basket.

"There's some more eggs Aiden!"

He got it!

"Excuse me, but I knew what I was doing all along!"

Aiden and momma

Of course we couldn't go to the zoo and not go see the animals.  Aiden LOVES the elephants.  

We went with some of our friends and here is Aiden, Jonathan, Caleb and Jerry.  

After the egg hunt they got some prizes and one was a lollipop.  I guess I got Aiden in mid-lick.  He was really loving that lollipop.  

Oh, and yesterday Jonathan and I took Aiden to get his passport!  We are planning on taking a trip this summer to Guatemala to go see Grammy and Daddy Ron.  They went back to Guatemala 2 weeks ago because their furlough was up.  We sure do miss them, but are so thankful that we can talk to them on the camera on our computer.   I hope everyone is having a good weekend.  I promise I won't wait this long again to post.